Saving Alice
by Jral
Summary: Edward Masen is a Scout Sniper for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. When reporter Alice Brandon is captured by the North Korean Army, it is up to Edward and Force Recon to save her, with the help of NSA Cryptanalyst Isabella Swan. M for language/violence
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: First of all, I would just like to clarify a few things. This story is military in nature, but I myself have little knowledge of the military. The information I used has come mostly from `research on the internet/books and my brother, a former marine. I realize it is not entirely accurate, because I tweaked a few things to fit the plot and characters better. I would also like to mention that the controversy in this story surrounding North Korea is entirely fictional, with only a few factual details here and there to make it believable. Any specific details like city names, KPA information, or DMZ disputes are real, but the North Korean General and plot line are all my creation. It is not my intention to offend anyone or make any accusations, so I apologize if it appears that I have done so. I hope you enjoy the story =D**

**DISCLAIMER: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight and it's characters. I am simply sending them into a fictional war to risk their lives for the sake of my entertainment.**

EPOV

"Okay boys and girls, listen up." Captain Swan paced back and forth in front of the projection screen. I was seated in a large conference room at a u-shaped table, along with a small group of fellow marines.

"This is Alice Brandon." A picture of a young woman flashed in front of us. She was young, with spiky black hair and a large smile. She looked so innocent, and joyful; it didn't fit that we were sitting in this room discussing her kidnapping.

"She was born June 18, 1985 and grew up in Forks, Washington. Her parents, John and Cynthia Brandon were killed in a car accident in May, 2005. She attended Washington University from 2003 to 2007, receiving a degree in journalism and graduating with honors. Brandon began working for the Washington Post in D.C. in August 2007, and is now their lead investigative journalist." Capt. Swan paused for a moment and took a deep breath, almost as if to steady himself before continuing.

"She was sent to South Korea on assignment, and arrived there on October 12, 2008. After reporting back to the Post, she entered the demilitarization zone. On October 14, she sent an email to her editor from her cell phone, claiming that she had uncovered sensitive information about the movements of the Korean People's Army. That was the last contact the Post had with Miss Brandon." Capt. Swan paused in his briefing, and I studied him carefully.

His brow was furrowed, and his eyes were troubled; I replayed his words in my mind, trying to find the source of his inner turmoil, but came up empty handed. The story was unfortunate, yes, but hardly worth beating yourself up over.

" It is now January 18, 2009, and Miss Brandon has not been heard from in exactly three months and four days. Our intelligence team has already viewed satellite surveillance of the area and found evidence of Miss Brandon's abduction. We believe she has been kidnapped by Commander Tae-Hyun, and is being held at his base camp in Leh'on, which is located along the Lmjin-gang River. All of our findings up to this point have led us to believe that Miss Brandon is still alive, and is being held as possible leverage in negotiations for U.S. Troops to step down and remove our forces for the DMZ ."

Capt. Swan walked around the room as he spoke, handing everyone in attendance a packet that contained all of the information he had just covered, and more. I opened my folder and flipped through the pages. This was just perfect; another stupid reporter went into area she shouldn't have been in the first place and got herself kidnapped, so now I have to risk my life to pull her out.

"Now, I want you all to look around the room, and familiarize yourselves with the people sitting around you." I looked up from my folder and glanced around the table, taking everyone in. We were an odd-looking group, that was for sure. My buddies Emmett and Jasper had been called here, as well as a blonde supermodel, Chief Cullen, and a handful of random grunts.

"You are all here, because you are the best; you are this woman's only chance at survival. As most of you know, this is HMC FMF Chief Carlisle Cullen. He will be your corpsman on this little adventure." He patted Carlisle's shoulder, who gave a gentle smile and a small wave to the rest of the room. With his soft blue eyes and blonde hair, Carlisle looked more like a movie star than a corpsman. But he was the best damn doctor I had ever seen.

"This is Staff Sergeant Jasper Whitlock. He will be your Recon Team Leader. On this mission, he is God, for all intents and purposes. If he tells you to snort like a pig, you say 'aye, Staff Sergeant Whitlock', and you do as you're told."

"Howdy y'all," Jasper gave a quick salute and a wide grin, causing everyone in the room to chuckle. His honey blonde curls were in disarray, having not been cut since he went on extended leave two months ago. His southern drawl and good looks threw most people off, but that boy was born thinking strategy; he could plan a full-scale invasion in his sleep.

"Sergeant Emmett McCarty will be your Rifleman. He will lead your assault team, and you three," Capt. Swan gestured to other three grunts, "will answer directly to him. He is your momma, understand?" The three men nodded and Emmett waggled his eyebrows, his hazel eyes sparkling in amusement. He was a bear of a man, and the best fighter the world has ever known, but deep down he was still an eight year old little boy. The Captain moved around the table to stand behind the statuesque blonde.

"Gentlemen, this is Corporal Rosalie Hale. As you know, women are not allowed on reconnaissance missions, but you will need her. No one had better find out about her presence on this mission, or I promise you will regret having ever walked through that door. She is your machinist, and will be in charge of all firearms and repairs." I studied the woman in front of him; her cold blue eyes glared smugly at each of us, oozing confidence.

"Moving on, Privates First Class Eric Yorkie and Tyler Crowley are your demolition experts. They will be Sgt. McCarty's right hand men. Private Mike Newton is the combat engineer." He introduced the last three grunts before coming around the table to me.

"This is Sergeant Edward Masen, your Scout Sniper. Masen is an expert marksman, and will conduct any close reconnaissance and surveillance that may be necessary. Should Ssgt. Whitlock be indisposed, Sgt. Masen will take over the reins." I cringed at his casual mention of the risk we were all putting ourselves in, but regained my composure quickly. I ran a hand through my messy bronze locks, painfully aware that every eye in the room was fixed on me.

"The eight of you make up the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, or Force Recon. It is your job to locate Miss Brandon and bring her safely back onto U.S. soil. Corporal James Wilson and Lance Corporal Laurent Moreau will be piloting UH-1 Huey and will drop you in North Korean territory. You will have eighteen hours to complete your mission and rendezvous with Cpl. Wilson at the designated pick-up spot." We all nodded in understanding and the room was quiet for a moment. I glanced up at Capt. Swan and immediately noticed a shift in his mood. His brow was furrowed and his arms were crossed securely over his chest.

"There's one more thing," he started, the room suddenly silent. "The North Koreans have resorted to using alternate means of communication in light of the circumstances. The NSA has an agent that was able to tap into the new frequency, only to discover that they were speaking in code. That same agent was able to break the code, but this is where it gets complicated." He paused for a moment, and we all tensed, unsure of where this was all leading.

"The NSA believes it is best if as few people are made aware of this code as possible. They do not want to risk a leak, and lose all of the progress they have made. At this point, the North Koreans are unaware that we have access to their transmissions, and the NSA would like to keep it that way." He looked around the room, making eye contact with each of us. Everyone was silent, unable to figure out exactly what he was telling us.

"Captain Swan, Ssgt. Whitlock and I are the only ones that would have access to the code. I don't understand what the problem is exactly." I glanced over at Jasper who looked just as confused as I was. Did they not trust us? Did they think one of us would leak the information?

"Bottom line, they don't want anyone to have the code. That's why they have insisted that their agent accompany you on the mission." The room erupted in chaos, as everyone screamed the disapproval of the plan.

"With all due respect, Capt. Swan, that's a death sentence, and you know it. A civilian will only slow down the operation. We can't be expected to do our jobs if we have to worry about babysitting some codebreaker. I'm not putting my life on the line to protect a computer geek." I was seething with anger, and I spit the words out through my teeth.

"I'm more upset about this situation than you are, Sergeant, but the General has approved the NSA's request, and there is nothing we can do about it," the Captain replied, his voice dripping with anger and fear. I tried to decipher the meaning behind his emotions, but he quickly composed himself and continued. "The agent has been training for the past month to accompany you, and she will not slow you down. She is well-trained and capable of looking after herself, so just focus on your mission."

"Wait a minute, did you say 'she'? Captain, we can't bring a girl into enemy territory with us!" I was completely dumbfounded. How could the General possibly think this was a good idea?

"Yes, the agent is female, and yes, you will bring her with you. End of discussion. Oh, and Sgt. Masen?" I looked up at the Captain, and he had a fierce glint in his eyes. "You _will_ put your life on the line to protect that computer geek. If anything happens to her, I am holding you personally responsible. Dismissed," he turned and stalked out of the room, leaving me behind, shocked. Either Captain Swan had finally snapped, or he knew more about this agent than he was letting on.

"Damn, Masen, what did you say to him? I've never seen the Captain that pissed off before," Emmett's booming laughter filled the room.

"I didn't say shit!" I chuckled nervously.

"Don't stress, Edward. We'll be fine. They said the girl's been trained, and I'm sure they wouldn't be sending her if it was too much of a risk," Jasper reasoned, always the logical one. I nodded my head in agreement and stood to follow them out of the room.

"Yo! Masen!" I turned to find the owner of the irritating voice screeching my name. Newton walked toward me, flanked by Yorkie and Crowley, a cocky grin on his face. "I bet you $50 I can get in Blondie's pants before you, pretty boy," he jerked his thumb behind him at Rosalie, who was talking quietly with the Captain. I rolled my eyes at Newton and kept walking, ignoring him completely. He has been in my Platoon for the last four years, and I have hated him from the beginning. He has convinced himself that he is God's gift to women, and he doesn't understand that some of us don't live the 'hit it and quit it' lifestyle.

"Don't be like that, Masen! We're Recon, man! We're the baddest motherfuckers in this place. We can have any bitch we want," he bragged while Jasper snorted next to me.

"Oh really?" A distinctly feminine voice appeared behind us, and I pivoted to watch the scene unfold.

"Oh shit, this is gonna be good," Emmett grinned beside me, causing Jasper to chuckle, and we all watched as Rosalie sauntered over to Newton, swaying her hips seductively.

"Hell yeah," Newton replied. I stifled a laugh as Rosalie approached him, her face only inches from his. She ran her tongue across her upper lip, her bright blue eyes smoldering, and Newton shifted in an attempt to hide his growing erection. Rosalie pressed herself up against Newton, and Emmett let out a low growl beside me. I placed a hand on his chest, cautioning him, wanting to see what she was going to do. Faster than I could blink, she brought her right knee up hard, connecting with Newton's groin with a sickening thud. Jasper and I gasped in shock and Emmett cupped himself in protection.

"If I ever see that pathetic excuse for a hard-on anywhere near me ever again, I swear to God I'll snap it off and shove it down your throat. Got it?" Rosalie leaned over Newton, who was now curled into the fetal position on the concrete, and rolled her eyes before stalking off angrily toward the parking lot.

"Oh yeah, this is gonna be an interesting mission," Jasper chuckled. The three of us laughed and headed to the parking lot behind Rosalie. Yeah, interesting; that's the word I was looking for.

**A/N: Sooo how am I doing so far? Is it believable? Because this story has so much detail, it will probably take me a little while for updates. I will do my best to get each chapter to you quickly without compromising the story. R&R plz =D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Alright I finally got another chapter up! So now you get to see what Bella has been up to =D Hope you like it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight =( **

BPOV

"This case is too sensitive. I just can't take that risk." I folded my arms across my chest and settled into the leather wing-back chair.

"Bella," the Director sighed, massaging his temple with his fingertips. "I can't just send you in there. You're a cryptanalyst, not a special ops agent. It's just too dangerous. I'm sorry, I can't." He looked up from the desk and stared into my eyes, his own blank and detached.

"Mr. Director," I started. His expression remained stoic, and I sighed heavily, placing my head in my hands. "Aro, please. This is Alice we're talking about; our Alice. The same girl that plans all of our office parties. The girl that helped your wife redecorate your entire house, taking the burden off of you. The girl that brought us mountains of food when we had late nights. I can't trust this information with anyone else, Aro. She's been my best friend since birth, and I can't lose her like this. Alice needs me, and I'm going on that mission." I stared into his eyes, and watched dozens of emotions cross his face, finally ending in resignation.

"Okay," he said softly, barely above a whisper. "I don't think I really have a choice. As you said, Alice is very important to all of us; we all want her back safely. But this isn't going to be easy Bella. You're not trained for this sort of thing, and I don't know if I can even convince them to take you. You would be a liability to them, dead weight. If you're going to do this, you'll need to go through extensive training, starting as soon as possible. And I'm not sending you alone. You'll take Jacob with you."

I started shaking my head as soon as his name left Aro's lips. I'm not a child; I don't need a babysitter or a bodyguard. I am well aware of the danger I am putting myself in, and I will do whatever is necessary to prepare; but the last thing I need is Jacob hovering behind me throughout the entire mission.

"Bella, don't bother arguing. I refuse to send you alone, and Jacob is the best man for the job. He is a brilliant analyst, and the only person I trust to keep you from making any reckless decisions. I will not be responsible for sending you to your death, and Jacob is just the man to make sure that doesn't happen."

His icy stare bored into my face, and I sank back into the chair, knowing better than to object. If that's what Aro wanted, that's what he would get; there was no use fighting it. Aro picked up his phone to make the necessary calls and I left the room quietly, heading back to the lab.

I had spent every waking hour in this room for the last few weeks, trying desperately to find Alice. She had gone missing exactly three weeks ago today. To the public, Alice is an investigative journalist. In actuality, Alice isn't supposed to exist. She is the only agent in a branch of the NSA that was never "officially" approved. Our work is supposed to be limited to communication intelligence, with absolutely no human intelligence programs. However, much of work relies on such intelligence, therefore, we have Alice.

Alice has an uncanny ability to blend into any civilization or culture. She is small, has ambiguous features and coloring, and is easily overlooked. All of these qualities make her the perfect secret agent. She can slip unnoticed into enemy territory and retrieve the necessary information in no time at all, without drawing any attention to herself. Of course, she makes up for the secrecy in her free time. When she's not working, Alice is an insatiable ball of energy, and nearly impossible to contain.

I smiled fondly to myself as I entered the lab, reminiscing about Alice. I shook my head quickly, clearing the memories and refocusing on the task at hand. Alice had been sent to North Korea after I had intercepted a message regarding information about an invasion of South Korea. No details were given, and I was unable to decipher any specific details. Her task was to simply retrieve the necessary information and return home, so we could turn our findings over to the Secretary of Defense, the only person besides Aro and myself that new of Alice's existence.

But something went wrong; I received a call from Alice on my cell phone, but the reception was poor and I could only hear static and her muffled voice on the other end. That was the last we heard of her. Since that day, I have put my entire focus on North Korea, intercepting every message that was sent or received, searching desperately for a clue.

At some point the Korean government had abandoned their most recent means of encryption, and I scrambled to break the code. They began sending out seemingly random messages all over the globe, and I dissected each, praying that I would somehow trace the right one. Finally, one week after Alice's disappearance, I was able to single out the one frequency that seemed to follow a pattern. I spent the next few days studying the transmission and creating a computer program to decipher the encrypted message. The days seemed to drag on, and I slept maybe three hours at best each night. I nearly wept with joy when I finally reaped the benefits of my hard work.

The text was printed out in Latin, as was standard for our encryption programs. It took only mere hours to translate the message into Korean, then finally to English. Now the hard part could begin. The programing and the algorithms and the translations are simple; they are an exact science, and there is always some form of rhyme or reason. This was not so simple. Once I had the finished product, I had determine it's meaning.

I held in my hands a sheet of paper with a seemingly random grouping of words and names. There was no sense to the document, no pattern to solve logarithmically. Aro offered his assistance, and we spent nearly a week with papers and books and maps spread out across his office floor, willing everything to come together.

After what seemed like an eternity, the random words began to form sentences, and specific names and locations were presented to us. I knew at that moment that I had to keep this information between Aro and myself. This information had been nearly impossible to come by, and if the North Koreans became aware by any means that we had deciphered their code, they would throw it out and begin anew, forcing us to go back to the beginning. Alice would not have time for us to make any mistakes; this was a sensitive matter, and needed to be handled with the utmost discretion.

I had only agreed to allow Jake to accompany me on the mission because I knew Aro would not let me go otherwise. But I had no intention of sharing my knowledge with him. Jake was a nice enough guy, and a good analyst, but he was just too laid back. I will never understand how he was able to land this job; just give him a beer and a cheeseburger and he was an open book. He's one of those people that can't handle lulls in a conversation, so he just keeps talking until you stop him. I can't risk him slipping up during our mission; it would cost Alice her life.

I got the call from Aro the next morning, informing me that my request to accompany the Marine Force Recon had been approved. Jacob and I were to begin our training the following morning. I packed a duffel bag with the essentials and set it aside, heading to bed early; it might be the last decent night's sleep I get.

"Bells, remind me again why you're insisting on sentencing us to death?" Jacob and I had completed our two month training course, where we learned the basics of field survival. We had both been issued nine millimeter handguns and field knives, as well as taught how to handle both. We spent almost a month studying hand to hand combat and basic survival skills, and another month learning the specifics of our mission. I was now fully trained for the mission, no longer a dead weight. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I was anywhere close to the level that the soldiers accompanying us were at; but I definitely much more confident in my chances of survival.

Of course, Jake had spent the entire two months torn between complaining that we were going on the mission and trying to convince me that he was my prince charming. Jacob's not a bad guy or anything; I will be the first to admit that he has muscles I didn't even know existed. But he's just not _that _guy. He's fun to be around and he's a great friend, but that is as far as the relationship will go. Now I just have to convince him of that.

"Don't be such a drama queen," I mumbled, staring out the side window. We were in a black sedan, on our way to a final briefing where we would be filled in on all of the details of the mission, as far as who was in the team and what our specific instructions were. My stomach was in knots as we pulled up to the building. I smiled at the marine that opened my door for me, and slowly made my way up the concrete path, my eyes locked on my converse. I heard a chorus of laughter across the lawn and looked up, stopping in my tracks. I took a moment to study the scene before me, sweeping over a marine rolled up in the fetal position on the sidewalk. The blonde who I assumed put him in that position muttered something angrily and turned to stalk off in my direction, heading to the parking lot. Two more marines were hovered over the injured man, trying desperately to hold in their laughter. The trio of men who's laughter had initially alerted me were all doubled over, attempting to catch their breath. One man was absurdly large, but had a childlike face; the other was tall and lean, almost lanky, with honey blond curls hanging into his eyes. My eyes came to rest on the third, and my breath hitched in my throat. He was, without a doubt, the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my life. His hair shone brightly, copper-colored in the sun, and his emerald green eyes danced with laughter. He was tall, like the other two and lean; not too bulky, not too lanky. He was perfect.

"Bells, wake up. What are you staring at?" Jacob nudged me from behind and I quickly averted my gaze, hurrying into the building in front of us. There was a large, u-shaped table in front of us, with only one man seated at it. I studied his dark, curly hair and chocolate eyes, identical to my own. His face was blank, barely concealing the worry in his eyes.

"Bells," he greeted me, rising from his chair. I crossed the room quickly and wrapped my arms around his neck, and he pulled me into a tight hug.

"Hi dad," I whispered. I pulled back slightly and he blinked rapidly, clearing his now glistening eyes. We released our grip on one another and he shook Jacob's hand, greeting him warmly.

We all took our seats and Charlie pulled out a large folder for each of us and quickly began going over the mission. He had been less than thrilled when he had learned about my involvement in this situation, but Charlie was a military man all the way through. As a father, he hated sending his daughter into this death trap. But as a soldier, he knew that it was necessary, and that there was no way around it. He quickly briefed us, covering everything we may need to know.

"Now, if all goes as planned, this should be a simple mission. You will be dropped off at the designated point and the two of you will accompany the team into the target zone. You're only duty is to extract Alice and make your way to the pickup spot, where a helicopter will be waiting to bring you all home." He kept his eyes locked firmly on Jacob throughout the entire meeting, refusing to meet my gaze. When he finished, Jacob shook his hand and left the room, leaving us along for a moment.

"Bells, I need you to promise me something," Charlie rubbed the back of his neck and stared down at the floor as he spoke. "I need you to come home, okay?" His voice cracked as the words left his mouth, and a single tear spilled onto my cheek. I nodded my head solemnly and quickly wiped the tear from my face.

"I will, dad. I promise," I whispered. Charlie hugged me awkwardly one last time and I headed out the door. We were leaving in just a few days, and Jake and I were staying on base until then. Our car took us to our temporary housing unit, and we settled in for the evening. I flipped through the file Charlie had given me, and focused on the Team list. A beautiful, bronze-haired god stared up at me from the page, his green orbs piercing through me. I sighed heavily and flipped the folder shut, tossing it onto the bedside table. This was going to be interesting.

**A/N: So, how am I doing so far? You like? R&R plz! I will try to update soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's the moment you've all been waiting for! Bella and Edward are finally going to meet =D I hope you like it, and thank you soccerchic for the suggestion on the "big scene"!**

**DISCLAIMER: Still don't own Twilight =P**

EPOV

"Alright ladies, let's head out!" I threw my seabag over my shoulder and followed Jackson down the corridor with Emmett on my heals.

Today was the big day; we are rendezvousing with the rest of the team in the helo hanger for our final briefing, and then we take off. I have to admit, I'm a little nervous. I'm usually pretty relaxed before missions; to me, it's just a job. We do this stuff all the time, so it doesn't really phase me anymore. But this time is different; we're taking a civilian with us. Not only do we have to pull some stupid reporter out of a hot zone, but we have to babysit some little girl along the way. Scratch that: I have to babysit some little girl.

The three of us stepped out into the sunlight and made our way to the car that was sent for us. Jackson was deep in thought, just like he was before every other mission. Right about now he was playing out the entire mission in his head repeatedly, searching for any weak spot. Emmett was his usual self, making up dirty lyrics for popular songs, and laughing hysterically when he thought of a particularly juicy verse.

We pulled up in front of the hanger and climbed out, the last to arrive. Newton, Crowley, and Yorkie were all huddled around a table, their heads bent over something between them. I arched my neck to see over their shoulders and rolled my eyes at the sight of the Playboy spread out in front of them.

My eyes swept over the room quickly, and I noticed Rosalie talking quietly with Captain Swan. I watched them curiously for a moment, studying their body language. Captain Swan's forehead was creased with what appeared to be worry, and Rosalie was nodded in response to his words. She gave him a quick pat on the shoulder and a reassuring smile before taking a seat behind the big table. I turned to Jasper and Emmett, their faces displaying the confusion that I myself was feeling.

"Listen up, boys and girls. You should all understand your part in this mission by now, so I'm not going to waste any of our time by repeating them. Instead, I just want to reiterate a few key points. Your sole mission is to retract Alice Brandon from enemy territory and get her safely back onto U.S. soil. And I do mean safely; alive and well, with no broken bones or major injuries, understand?" We all nodded in unison as we took our seats around the table.

"I know I told you that an NSA agent will be accompanying you, but in actuality there will be two agents joining your team." I clenched my teeth to fight back the scream threatening to escape my lips.

"They have both been trained as adequately as possible given the circumstances, but you have to remember that they are not Marines. Under normal conditions, I would instruct you to focus entirely on the mission and allow them to do their own jobs. But the female agent is going to be the only person on this team with the ability to understand the North Korean transmissions, and you will fail without her. She must be protected at all costs," he spat through his teeth. I glanced around the table, making sure that I was not the only one who had noticed his change in mood.

"Masen, you will not leave her side for any reason, understood? She is your responsibility, and you will get her safely back to the states," he stared into my eyes, his own burning with intensity. I nodded at him dumbly, unsure of the proper response to his outburst. He took a deep breath to calm himself, and dropped the blank mask back in place.

"There will be a male agent accompanying her. Should she feel that her life is at risk, and her safety is in jeopardy," Captain Swan swallowed audibly, pausing to collect himself, "she will pass on her knowledge to him. It will be in everyone's best interest if she never has to make that decision." The room was deathly quiet when the Captain finished, no one quite sure what to say. In every mission I have been apart of with him, I have never seen Captain Swan flustered. He has always been the epitome of calm. Something was wrong here.

"The agents will be arriving momentarily, so I advise you to use this time to take care of any last minute business. Dismissed," the Captain turned and left the room, leaving us to prepare.

We spent the next twenty minutes loading all of the gear into the helicopter and double checking everything. Jackson went around the room and spoke with each person individually, ensuring that everyone was clear on their duties. I sauntered over to Emmett and lightly punched his arm, receiving a shove in return.

"You ready man?" I flashed Emmett a crooked grin and his booming laughter filled the hanger.

"I'll take that as a yes," he joked. Jasper joined us, his serious expression lifting when he noticed our mood.

"I swear I'm gonna fix it so that we come back with a few less people," he muttered. Emmett and I both laughed in response as Jasper glared at Newton and his crew. The three idiots were openly ogling Rosalie as she checked all of her gear. Emmett growled beside me and I shoved his arm, averting his gaze.

"Hey man, what's up with you and the Captain? He looked pissed off, and almost....scared? What did you do, man?" Jasper asked nervously. The two of them stared intently at me, awaiting my response, and I fidgeted under their gaze. At least I wasn't the only one that had noticed it.

"I don't know. He hasn't said one word to me outside of the briefings," I replied.

"Who knows? Maybe he finally cracked. I mean, all of those years in the service have to get to you eventually, right?" Emmett offered. Jasper and I both shook our heads in response.

"No, that can't be it. I mean, this guy has been through some serious shit, and he's always been so calm. I've never seen him get this worked up over a mission before. Somethings different about this one, I just don't know what it is yet," I responded.

"Maybe he's just worried about his daughter," a distinctly feminine voice contributed. We all swiveled simultaneously to find the source of the voice, and my gaze locked on a pair of wide, chocolate brown eyes.

"What do you mean his---hey, who are you? And what are you doing in here? This is a secured area," Emmett questioned. I knew I should be asking the same questions, but all I could focus on was her.

"I'm your codebreaker: Isabella Swan," she replied. The room stilled, and I could almost hear the wheels turning in everyone's heads. The codebreaker: Isabella Swan. The girl I'm supposed to protect. The girl that _Captain Swan _ordered me to protect; his daughter.

"Hey, Bells, you made it," the Captain entered the room and walked over to the brown-eyed beauty. A breathtaking smile spread across her full lips, reaching up to her eyes. She turned around to face him, her long mahogany waves cascading over her shoulders.

"Hey, Dad." The two of them hugged awkwardly, and I averted my eyes for the first time, finally noticing the guy that had followed her in. He was huge, that was for sure; maybe a little taller than Emmett, but the same build. He was Native American, and he had long black hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. He had a childlike grin on his face while he watched the Captain and his daughter.

"Jacob, it's good to see you," Captain Swan extended his hand. "How's your dad doing?" he asked.

"Hey, Charlie, it's good to see you too. Billy's doing great," he responded. I was caught a little off-guard by Jacob's obvious familiarity with the Captain.

"Alright everybody, here are the last two members of your team," Captain Swan addressed the rest of us.

"I guess you have already figured out who this is," he gestured to his daughter, and a gorgeous blush filled her cheeks at the attention.

"This is my daughter, Bella. She is the lead cryptanalyst for the team. And this here is Jacob Black, her sidekick," Captain Swan lightly punch Jacob in the arm and two of them laughed lightly while Bella rolled her eyes. The rest of us exchanged curious glances, having never seen the Captain this laid back.

"Sidekick, my ass! She could fit in my pocket!" Jacob laughed. He pulled Bella into a headlock and she glared up at him, slightly resembling an angry kitten. The Captain shook his head in amusement at their interaction and turned to talk with the pilots.

I studied Bella for a minute, just taking her in. She had been issued the regulation digital fatigues, but hadn't put her jacket on yet. She was small, maybe 5'4", and her pants and boots looked ridiculous on her small frame. But my eyes quickly found their way to her torso, where her dark green tee fit her snugly, revealing her hourglass figure. I followed the line of her torso up the ivory skin of her throat, finally reaching her dark eyes.

I watched her for a few seconds more before quickly shaking my head, clearing all thoughts. I couldn't let myself think about her that way. She was, above all, a liability to our mission. She could end up costing me or a member of my team our lives, because she was too stubborn to hand over the damn code. I was quickly overcome with hatred for this small girl, and I made my way over to a chair off to the side to sulk.

"Attention on deck!" Jasper barked, and we all quickly jumped to attention as Captain Swan entered the room.

"Alright, marines, this is it. You are all more than capable of completing this mission successfully, or I wouldn't be sending you out there. You _will_ bring that girl back home, and you _will_ return in one piece. Oorah, marines!"

"Oorah, sir!" we chorused.

"Dismissed," Captain Swan turned to find his daughter, who was watching quietly from the side with a small smile on her face. I discreetly made my way over to them, taking my time gathering my gear in order to catch their conversation.

"Bells, you can still back out of this. We can just send Jacob, or you could even hand everything over to Masen," he pleaded. His voice was strained, and I flicked my eyes in his direction just in time to catch a single tear spill silently onto his cheek. Bella quickly reached up and caught it, smiling gently.

"Dad, I'm not backing out. Alice needs me; I'm the best person for the job, and I'm not going to let her down just because I'm scared," she finished quietly. Captain Swan sighed heavily and nodded his head.

"I know, I'm just worried about you. I love you, Bells," the Captain pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head softly. I looked away and pulled on my jacket before heading to the helo.

I climbed inside and took a seat beside Jasper. Emmett was on his other side, with Rosalie on the end, and the two were arguing quietly about something. The three idiots were across from us, with an empty seat next to me and another across from it. I sighed heavily, and closed my eyes, leaning my head back. I heard the shuffle of feat moments later and felt someone's presence beside me. I kept my eyes closed as they settled into their seat and I heard the helicopter start up. I blocked out everything and quickly fell into a light sleep despite the noise. I slept peacefully with a small smile on my lips, and chocolate eyes on my mind.

**A/N: Drama, drama, drama! Lol So Edward is going to be difficult, of course, and try to convince himself that he hates Bella. Of course, we all know that he can't resist her, and he'll figure that out eventually =P R&R and I'll update as fast as I can!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: In this chapter we finally get to have some interaction between Bella & Edward, as well as the other characters. This is also the starting point for the plot =D Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I had written Twilight, I would not be sitting at a tiny desk in my bedroom writing fanfiction on a crappy computer for free. I hope that clears up any confusion =D**

BPOV

I have spent the last eleven hours on a helicopter with three morons, a bear, a beauty queen, a statue, sleeping beauty, and Jacob. I am so ready to get off this thing.

"So, Bella, what's it like having the Captain for a dad? Is he a ballbuster at home too?" Emmett asked, with dimples that man his size should have. Rosalie quickly smacked him in the back of the head and Jasper cracked a smile, his first sign of life in hours.

"I guess not. I mean, I've never actually lived with him, so I don't really know. He's pretty harmless, though," I answered, earning a loud guffaw from Emmett.

"Captain Swan? Harmless?" he laughed. "That's hard to believe. That man scares the shit out of me!" Jasper and Rosalie both shook their heads at him and I laughed quietly, trying not to wake Edward up. I don't see how he's been asleep this whole time; or how he even fell asleep in the first place. But if he's as cold and sulky as he was back on base, I'd prefer if he didn't wake up any time soon.

"So where did you live, if it wasn't with the Captain?" Rosalie asked. I sighed lightly and looked down at my lap, contemplating my answer.

"Well, my parents divorced when I was just a few months old, and I stayed with my mom. My dad couldn't visit much, so I usually just flew down to Camp Pendleton for a couple weeks every summer, and he would come see me for Christmas," I explained.

"I can't believe he's letting you go on this mission. It isn't quite as simple as he tries to make it sound," Jasper said.

"Well, he doesn't really want me here. But I'm the best in my field, and this information is too sensitive to just pass around, so my Director pulled some strings and made it happen." Jasper nodded in understanding, while Emmett and Rosalie both looked at me in surprise.

"So that's why the Captain's been so moody lately," Emmett commented. I quirked an eyebrow at him but he just shook his head, then turned his attention back to Rosalie. Jasper pulled some papers out of his bag and started looking over them, and I turned to face forward in my seat.

"You okay, Bells?" Jacob asked quietly. I looked up at him, and I saw the worry clear in his eyes. I nodded slowly, but I knew my face betrayed my emotions; I was always such an open book.

"Just worried, you know?" I sighed. Jake nodded and reached over to pat my knee gently.

"I know, Bells. Everything's going to work out, though; you'll see," he promised, always optimistic. I smiled softly at him and he beamed back.

"So, Bella, you got a boyfriend back home?" I turned my attention to Mike, who was looking at me with what I presume was meant to be a seductive expression.

"Um, no," I answered hesitantly. His dull blue eyes sparkled the second the word left my mouth, and I groaned inwardly.

"Well, I can fix that," he countered, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. His two buddies glared at him, obviously upset that he had beat them to the punch. I sank back in my seat, struggling to come up with an answer that clearly showed my distaste without being too harsh; I did have to work with these guys, after all.

"Newton, shut the fuck up and leave her alone. She doesn't want anything to do with your diseased ass," I whipped my head around to look at Edward, who was glaring daggers at Mike. I lost my train of thought as I took in the burning intensity of his jewel-toned eyes, and I struggled to pull my gaze away. I barely noticed Mike mumbling something about calling dibs as I concentrated on steadying my heartbeat.

Once I had pulled myself together I noticed the cabin had fallen into an awkward silence, and we were all looking around the small space, desperate for someone to start a conversation. I noticed Emmett nudge Jasper out of the corner of my eye, and motion for him to watch Edward.

"So, Jacob, I take it your dad and Captain Swan know one another?" Emmett asked. I felt Edward stiffen beside me, and I tried to figure out what exactly had caused that reaction.

"Yeah, they went through basic together, and were stationed together for almost ten years. But my dad was paralyzed during the Gulf War, and was discharged. Him and Charlie are still really close, though," Jake explained. I looked at Emmett curiously as he smiled slightly and glanced at Edward, who was still rigid beside me.

"So, you and Bella have known each other for awhile then? I mean, if your dads are that close, then you guys must have known each other since you were little, right?" he continued. I looked at Jake and he frowned, obviously as confused by the questioning as I was.

"Yeah, we've known each other our whole lives. When my dad was discharged, we moved up to Washington to look after Bella and her mom for Charlie. We went to college together after that, and now we work together at the NSA," he finished. Emmett chuckled silently and Jasper shook his head in amusement while I still struggled to figure out what was going on. I looked back at Edward, but his stony gaze had become calculating.

"Bella, what year were you born?" he asked suddenly. I stared at him blankly for a minute, not sure what he was getting at.

"I was born in 1985. Why?" I asked. His brow furrowed and I instantly had to resist the urge to reach up and smooth the crease between his eyes.

"Alice Brandon was born in 1985, and she's from Washington as well," he said. My hands instantly began to sweat and I sat shot a worried glance at Jake.

I didn't want anyone to know about my friendship with Alice. I know they were all frustrated that they had to take me along on this mission, and it would only make it worse if they knew she was my best friend; I guess you could call it a conflict of interests. Whatever it is, they definitely won't like it.

I felt Edward's eyes boring into the side of my face, and I knew he could see right through me. My trademark blush was coloring my cheeks, and my eyes were glued to my lap. I sighed heavily and closed my eyes, giving in to my guilty conscience.

"Okay, so I guess I haven't been entirely truthful with you guys," I started. Every pair of eyes was fixed on me, and the heat in my cheeks intensified. "Alice Brandon is my best friend. We grew up together in Forks, Washington, and went to college together. When she disappeared a few months ago, I threw myself into research, just hoping for the tiniest speck of proof that she was alive. When I finally gathered all of the information, I refused to hand it over to the Director unless he promised me a position on this team," I finished, my voice deflated.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing? We're all risking our lives in the first place to save some stupid girl who stuck her nose where it didn't belong, and now we have to serve as your personal bodyguards as well, just so you can rescue your little friend?" Edward shouted, his tone mocking. Anger flooded into my body at his words, and I glared defiantly at him.

"You listen to me, Edward Masen; you signed on for this job. This was a strictly voluntary mission, and you _chose_ to risk your life, regardless of who needed saving. And she is not some stupid girl that stuck her nose where it didn't belong; she was doing her job, and happened to come across information that could save the lives of millions of people." Everyone stared at me in shock, and I barreled on, never breaking eye contact with Edward.

"And yes, she is my friend, and that is why I insisted on coming. But don't you dare try to tell me that if you were in my shoes you wouldn't be doing the same thing. I am the best at what I do, period. If anyone has a chance at finding Alice, it's me. I am not going to sit by and let my best friend and innocent civilians die because I was too chicken shit to do my job. So I suggest you wipe that smug look off your face and pull your foot out of your mouth, because there is no way in hell that I am putting up with your bullshit just so you can feel like a big shot." The cabin remained silent, no one daring to be the first to speak.

"Damn, Edward, she just owned your ass!" Emmett shouted. Everyone was still for a split second, then the floodgates opened. The three idiots burst into a round of applause while Emmett shook with laughter and Rosalie made catcalls at me. Jasper struggled to maintain his composure but finally cracked, shooting Edward a sympathetic look between chuckles. Jacob smiled proudly at me, a look of smug satisfaction on his face.

I sank back into my seat, wanting all of the attention to be focused on someone else. Edward remained completely silent, his face completely blank. After a few minutes he finally looked away and settled back into his seat, the muscles in his jaw bulging as he ground his teeth. I sighed lightly and closed my eyes, leaning my head back against my seat. The rest of the team eventually settled down, and everyone started their own quiet conversations. Jake fell asleep after a few minutes, and I studied the inside of the helicopter, willing the last hour to pass quickly.

"Bella?" Edward called my name softly from beside me, causing my heart to explode in my chest. I turned my head to look into his eyes, and was immediately lost in the green pools. He held my gaze, and his eyes smoldered with some emotion I couldn't quite identify.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have said those things, and you were right: I would have done the same thing in your position. We will get Alice out, I promise," he said quietly. His velvety voice swirled around my head, and I fought the urge to lean closer to him. I nodded my head slowly, not yet releasing his eyes.

"Thank you, Edward," I answered softly. He smiled hesitantly and leaned forward infinitesimally, just enough to fill my head with his delicious scent, and I breathed deeply, committing it to memory.

"Bella!" Jake called my name with a little bit too much force, and Edward's mask dropped back into place. I sighed in frustration and turned to face Jake, mentally pulling that pretty black hair out of his head.

"What Jake?" I growled. He looked around the cabin nervously, fumbling for something to say, and I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Um, we're almost at the drop-off point. Are you ready?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and settled into my seat, ignoring his question completely. At this point, I am completely open to the idea of returning to Camp Pendleton one man short; I'll even hand him over to the North Koreans myself.

**A/N: Ah, Jake, why must you always get in the way? I apologize, Team Jacob fans, but I am a Team Edward girl all the way, so I like to torture Jake a little as payback for all of the drama he caused in Eclipse =P R&R Plz!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated in awhile! Classes started last week, so I've been crazy busy...I will try my best to update more often, but I have class four days a week, and they are all pretty in-depth classes, so it may take me awhile to do so =( Anywayz, this chapter is pretty long, so I hope you guys like it...I just couldn't seem to get to a good stopping point, so I kept writing...I'm pretty happy with how it turned out though, so let me know what you think!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight.**

EPOV

"Okay, guys and gals, this is it!" Jasper shouted over the whir of the helicopter blades. We all shifted in the cabin as our pilots positioned us for drop-off.

"Alright, McCarty, you're up first. Newton, Crowley, and Yorkie, you drop down after him, followed by Hale and Doc. Masen, you repel with Black and I'll take Swan. Understood?"

"Aye, Staff Sergeant!" we chorused. I stood to help Jacob with his harness while the rest of the team repelled down one at a time. I glanced over at Jasper to watch him help Bella with her harness, my fingers yearning to take the straps from his hands. I shook my head quickly, clearing the thought from my head. She's the Captain's daughter, and a huge liability to this mission; I'm not attracted to her in any way, shape, or form. So why do I have the urge to separate Jasper's head from his body for standing too close to her?

"Don't fight it Edward; a little emotion never hurt anyone." I twisted around to look at Doc, and he smiled gently before winking at me and pushing himself out of the helo.

"Masen, you're up!" Jasper shouted. I nodded to Jacob and he followed me to the open door. I quickly attached our harnesses to the tether and instructed him on his hand placement.

"Alright, Black, here we go. Push off in one, two, three!" We simultaneously kicked off from the helicopter frame and fell back into the open air. Within seconds we had slid down the rope and landed on solid ground, Jacob falling on his ass and nearly pulling me with him.

"Try to stay upright, Black," I snarled. He rolled his eyes and rose to his feet, brushing the dirt from his pants. Doc quickly came to his side and gave him the once-over, insuring that there was no damage done. I stepped back slightly to give Jasper and Bella some room, and watched as they pushed off and dropped toward us.

Jasper's feet made contact just before Bella's, and he wrapped his arm securely around her waist to keep her steady. Once she found her footing, he unlatched her harness and released her before unstrapping himself. She stepped out of the harness and immediately lost her balance, her eyes clenching shut in preparation for impact. Before I could think, I had closed the distance between us, wrapping my arms around her small frame, holding her tight to my chest.

We stood completely still for what felt like hours, but must have only been seconds. My arms were wrapped securely around her tiny waist, holding her flat against my chest. I stared down into her chocolate eyes, unable to speak, and breathed in her scent, a mixture of strawberries and freesia.

"Thank you," she whispered. A light blush rose in her cheeks, but neither of us broke eye contact. A jolt of electricity rushed through my body at the sound of her voice, and I was unable to stop the shiver that traveled down my spine.

"Bella! Are you okay?" I quickly dropped my arms from Bella's waist and stepped away, putting some distance between us. Her face twisted in an expression of hurt and confusion, and I swallowed down the bile that had risen in my throat as a reaction to causing her pain. What the hell is wrong with me? She's just a girl; an unattainable girl. A girl I am not even interested in.

I clenched my eyes shut and ground my teeth, then took a deep breath to clear my head. Jacob was checking Bella over, insuring that she was unharmed, but her eyes stayed locked on me. I quickly looked away and walked toward the rest of the team, shooting a glare at Doc as he chuckled quietly to himself. Emmett nudged Jasper as I walked toward them and the two smiled at one another and gave me a pointed look before focusing back on the task at hand.

"Alright troops, listen up," Jasper started. "We are currently in North Korean territory. They have not been made aware of our presence, and I'd like to keep it that way. We have about an hour until dark, so I suggest you take this time to eat and take care of business. Miss Swan, Mr. Black, I need you to set up your equipment and get me some information here." Bella and Jacob nodded and started digging through their packs.

"We need to find Miss Brandon's exact location, and I need any details you can give me about the camp she's in and who has her. As soon as the sun sets, our mission begins. No one is to leave my sight for any reason, understood? If you need to relieve yourselves ladies, you tell me first and the two of you will go together; we can't afford modesty tonight. Boys, feel free to pick whichever tree strikes your fancy," he grinned. "Dismissed," he barked. The grunts plopped down in the dirt and started scarfing down their food. Bella and Rosalie headed into the woods, and I joined Jasper, Emmett, and Doc.

"So, Edward, how are you doing this evening?" Emmett asked, a large grin spreading across his face. Jasper rolled his eyes but chuckled lightly along with Doc, and I glared angrily at each of them.

"I just kept her from eating dirt, alright? What was I supposed to do, let her fall?" I asked, annoyed.

"Edward, it's okay if you feel something for the girl. You don't have to be embarrassed," Doc said gently. I looked down at the dirt, unable to meet his gaze.

"I don't feel anything for her, so there's nothing to be embarrassed about," I snapped.

"So you're telling me that you don't have the hots for our little Bella?" Emmett questioned skeptically. The three of them stared at me intently, anxiously awaiting my reply.

"Of course not! She's the Captain's daughter, which automatically means she's off-limits. Plus, she's the reason why we're all risking our lives right now. We all have to put our necks out there to keep her safe, all because she didn't want to hand over her precious code. We're not soldiers, we're babysitters!" I growled. Emmett and Jasper chuckled quietly at my outburst, and Doc simply sighed and shook his head, but they all immediately composed themselves and stared down at their shoes.

"Forgive me, Sergeant Masen. It's just awful that I happened to come around and force you to do your job," a soft voice sounded from behind me. I closed my eyes, grinding my teeth together, before turning to face her. She glared up at me, her hands on her hips, and I fought back the chuckle that threatened to escape my lips. She somewhat resembled an angry kitten, her small frame almost shaking with fury.

"I refused to give you my precious code, Sergeant Masen, because I didn't think you would be capable of handling it, a belief that you have only confirmed by repeatedly throwing your little temper tantrums. But I would hate to be the reason anything bad happened to you," she spat sarcastically, "so please, don't feel obligated to keep me alive. I give you my permission to save your own ass if push comes to shove." She spun on her heel and started walking back to Jacob, but paused momentarily to face me once more.

"Oh, and Sergeant Masen? We're all adults here, so if you insist on insulting me, do it to my face." And with that, she sauntered over to Jacob and took a seat on the ground next to him, slipping her headset into place.

"Dude, seriously, she just handed your ass to you _again_. Maybe you should just back off and leave her alone," Emmett guffawed. Jasper fought hard to maintain his composure, but eventually cracked and joined Emmett in laughter. Rosalie chuckled softly and patted me on the shoulder sympathetically.

"Edward, I have to disagree with Bella. She may not be the strongest or most experienced of us, but she's still the most intimidating. If things get messy, I think she's going to be the one saving your ass, not the other way around," she laughed. I glared at the three of them only causing them to laugh louder, and turned to take a seat by myself.

"Edward?" I turned to face Doc as he took a seat beside me. "Son, I know the military is your life; it is all you have ever known, and you are exceptional at what you do. But it just might be time for something, or rather, some_one_ else to take precedence in your life. Don't shut the world out; you might miss out on something spectacular." He nodded in Bella's direction and patted my knee before standing to join Jasper.

I followed his eyes to where she was working, and watched her silently for a few moments. I mulled over doc's words while I observed her, wondering if perhaps he had a valid point. My parents had enrolled me in military school when I was only eight years old when they deemed my behavior a detriment to their social status. With my father being the owner of a leading pharmaceutical company, they had a certain image to uphold; a "free-spirited" child apparently did not fit into this image, so they sent me to the academy. I met Jasper and Emmett there, and the three of us became closer than brothers. They each traveled home for summers and holidays to be with their families, but I usually stayed at the school, my parents being unable to take time off.

When graduation came, we all enlisted without a second thought. Jasper's family was military for generations, and Emmett really didn't have any other options. I joined because I didn't know anything else; I had no special skills that were applicable outside of the armed forces, and no desire to fit in to the civilian world. I have always been happy with the decision I made, and I still believe it was the right choice. But maybe Doc's right; maybe it's time for a change.

"Jasper?" Bella called softly, breaking through my thoughts. We all looked up to see her standing beside us, chewing her lip nervously. Jasper stood quickly and beckoned for her to lead the way, and he followed her over to where Jacob was still seated. I watched as she handed him a headset, letting him listen to the transmission they had intercepted. He was still for a few moments, his eyes squinted in concentration, before he removed the headset and looked to her for an explanation. She gave Jake a pointed look and he rolled his eyes, standing slowly and walking over to our group.

"Why'd she send you over here?" Rosalie asked. He plopped down across from me and sighed heavily, shaking his head in frustration.

"She doesn't want me to hear the stupid message," he muttered angrily.

"Don't you know it already? I thought you both knew the code? Why can't you decipher the message yourself?" Emmett questioned.

"I don't know the code; she wouldn't tell it to me. And even if I did, I don't speak fluent Korean, so I wouldn't be able to come up with an accurate translation. All I can do is help her trace the transmission and write down the original message; the rest is up to her," he explained. I glanced over at Bella and watched her for a moment. Her head was bent forward close to Jasper's, and she was tracing her finger across a message on a pad of paper.

"Why won't she give you the code? I thought you guys were supposed to be partners? You know, if something happens to one of you, the other one can take over?" I asked, but Jacob was already shaking his head.

"That was the plan, but Bella is a little stubborn." I snorted at his response, and he chuckled before continuing. "Alice is her best friend, and has been for her entire life; she's not going to do anything that she thinks will jeopardize her chances of finding her. Apparently that includes trusting me," he mumbled. I glanced over at him and caught the pain in his eyes before he quickly composed himself. I stayed quiet after that, just replaying what he had said in my mind.

"Okay everyone, listen up." Jasper's voice broke the silence and I stood with the rest of the team to await his instructions.

"Alice is being held at a camp about two miles north of us. From what Bella has told me, it is a temporary camp, and it holds only twelve KPA soldiers, two of which have been assigned to guard Miss Brandon. They are planning to transport her to the base camp in Leh'on in the morning, so we don't have much time. You have two minutes before we move out; let's pack up!" Jasper turned to speak with Bella again and we all gathered our gear, preparing to leave.

When everything was packed and loaded, we followed Jasper through the thick vegetation, heading toward the river. The small camp had been set up along the banks of the Lmjin-gang River, and it would lead us straight to them. Jasper took the lead with the three grunts behind him, followed by Rosalie and Emmett, then Bella and Jacob, with me and Doc pulling up the rear.

We made fast progress through the dense undergrowth, but it was no easy task. Bella proved to be extraordinarily uncoordinated, and it took my full concentration to keep her on her feet and moving forward. Despite the extra effort that this was costing me, I had to fight to maintain my intense hatred for the brown-eyed beauty.

Even the smallest amount of physical contact set my skin on fire, and I found myself watching her closely throughout our trek, mesmerized by her every move. I noticed the small crease that appeared between her eyes with every stumble, and how her bottom lip had become permanently trapped between her teeth at some point. I had memorized the exact shade of her deep chocolate eyes, and the creamy texture of her porcelain skin. I relished the silky feel of her hand each time I reached out to catch her, and I struggled to keep my hands by my side, as opposed to sinking them into the bundle of thick curls at the base of her neck. I was so entranced by her beauty that I nearly passed the rest of the team up when they came to a stop.

"I want everyone to listen, and listen closely. We only get one chance at this, so we had better get it right. Sergeant Masen, it's showtime; I need you to get in there and find out which tent she is in, where each soldier is, and where her guards are located. I need to know what type of weapons they have and any possible coverings our escape routes they have access to. You are going to have to make note of the layout of the camp, and the best way to retract her from the tent; understood?" I nodded my head in confirmation and slipped off my pack, pulling out my gear as he put everyone in position.

I slipped on my night-vision goggles and slung my rifle across my back, checking to insure that my radio was silenced before I signaled my departure. I slowly crept through the undergrowth, keeping low to the ground and moving steadily through the bushes. I crept along until I was only twenty yards out from their camp, then surveyed the area for a good vantage point. I found a sturdy tree at the right angle and quickly hoisted myself up onto it's lowest branches, then climbed silently up the trunk. I perched on a branch just below the tops of the vegetation, and quickly started making note of what I saw. I circled around the camp after my initial surveillance, then silently made my way back to the team.

Jasper stood as I approached them, and everyone looked up expectantly, waiting for my report. I slipped my gear back into my pack and crouched down, everyone quickly making a circle around me. Jasper pulled a grid out and handed me a pen for me to illustrate my findings.

"There are twelve soldiers, as Bella said, and three tents. The largest tent, here," I indicated to my drawing, "appears to be the supply tent. All food, ammunition, and medical gear is being stored there. The tent is located at the back of the camp, and there are seven soldiers all in sleeping backs in the center of the camp. The General's tent is located in the front of the camp, with one guard out front, and Alice is being held in a tent just to the left of the supply tent. There are two guards patrolling the perimeter of the camp, with one more soldier guarding the entrance to Alice's tent." I paused for a moment to let everyone get a look at my diagram. Jasper was staring intently at the sheet, the wheels spinning steadily in his head. I shot a quick glance at Bella, and her face had gone deathly pale. She was clenching Jacob's hand tightly, and I fought back the wave of jealousy that washed over me.

"The only path out of the camp is by the river, so they will either have to backtrack or keep heading forward. We're in the middle of the jungle, so obviously there are natural coverings everywhere, but they only structures they put up are the three tents. They are each armed with a hunting knife, a semi-automatic rifle, and a 9mm pistol...pretty standard," I concluded. Jasper rose to his feet and began pacing behind our circle, formulating a plan. We all remained silently for a moment, nervous energy charging the air around us.

"Okay team, listen up; we obviously want this mission to be as simple as possible. Ideally we want to retrieve Miss Brandon silently and efficiently, getting her out of that camp and putting as much space between us and them as possible before they catch on. Bella and Jacob, the two of you will stay here with Doc; I want you all on your feet with your packs on your back, ready to run the second I give the order. Emmett, you and your boys are gonna secure the perimeter; if something goes wrong, you move in and neutralize the situation. Crowley, Yorkie...I want explosives set up in an arc ten yards out and five yards between. If they get through us, they sure as hell won't get past those." The two idiots high-fived and bumped shoulders, earning a severe glare from Jasper, immediately silencing their ego trips.

"Hale, you're staying behind with Doc and the techies." Rosalie immediately bristled, opening her mouth to protest. "Don't start with me, Hale. If things go south, I need someone I can trust to make sure they get to the rendezvous point and back to the states in one piece; no matter how nasty things get, I will be sending Alice Brandon through our line, with or without us. You get her home, understood?" he barked.

"Aye, Staff Sergeant Whitlock," Rosalie chorused, her chin held high. Emmett glanced nervously between Jasper and Rosalie, not happy with the way the conversation had turned. I can't say that I blame him; my eyes flicked over to Bella, and she gazed back at me, those big chocolate orbs brimming with fear.

"Masen, you're with me. I'm going to slip through between patrols and retrieve Miss Brandon, and I need you covering my back. Find a spot high up with a clear shot; you might need it," he said the last part softly, staring straight at me. We looked at one another in silence for a moment, both of us knowing exactly what he had meant by that; get Alice Brandon out at all costs, with or without him.

"I hope y'all were listening, because we don't have time for repeats. We leave in five minutes; I suggest you prepare yourselves," he finished quietly. The camp was silently as everyone slowly stood and split off into groups. Jasper sat back down with the map and Bella's transmission in front of him, studying them closely once more. Rosalie and Emmett slipped off to the side, holding one another close and talking quietly.

"Edward, don't make me break Esme's heart. You get that girl out of there, and come back to us," he said gently. He pulled me into a tight embrace before pulling back and patting me lightly on the shoulder as I nodded in understanding.

"Edward?" a soft voice called behind me. I turned to face her, and my heart shattered at the sight of the tears threatening to spill onto her porcelain cheeks. I immediately pulled her into my arms without a second thought, cradling her head to my chest with one hand, the other wrapped tightly around her waist. She snaked her small arms around my waist and nuzzled her head further into my chest, crying softly.

"Shh...don't cry," I whispered, swaying her softly in my arms. "Hey," I said slightly louder, pulling back to look in her eyes. "It's going to be fine. We're going to get Alice out of there; she'll be safe and sound in just a few hours," I reassured her. I dried her tears with the pads of my thumbs, and she shook her head slightly.

"I know you'll get her out," she responded. I waited for her to continue, tilting my head in confusion. "I'm not upset about Alice; I trust you to get her back to me," she continued. "I'm worried about you," she finished softly, looking down at my chest. I hooked my index finger under her chin and tilted her head back gently, allowing me to stare directly into her eyes. Slowly, I lowered my head until my lips were only millimeters away from hers, our breath mingling between us. I held the position for a moment, giving her the chance to pull away. When she remained unmoved I closed the distance, softly pressing my lips to hers.

The instant our lips met a jolt of electricity shot through my body, traveling down my spine and resting in the pit of my stomach. A small gasp escaped Bella's lips and she pressed her body against mine, crushing her lips more forcefully to my own. I gripped her waist tightly in my hands, holding her to me, and she tangled her small hands in my messy locks. We held onto each other for dear life a few moments longer, before I grudgingly pulled away.

I looked down at the beauty in my arms and she smiled up at me, a light blush rising to her cheeks. I smiled back and lifted a hand to trace my fingers across her cheek, causing the blush to deepen. I trailed my hand down until I was cupping her cheek, and I brushed my thumb gently against her skin.

"I will most definitely be coming back," I murmured, eliciting a small giggle from Bella. I reveled in the sound of her laughter, before placing a final gentle kiss on her lips and walking to Jasper's side.

Doc patted me on the shoulder as I passed and Emmett waggled his eyebrows at me suggestively. I answered them both with a large grin, growing even stronger as I took in Jacob's sullen expression. Rosalie flashed me a thumbs up and Jasper simply smiled and shook his head. I tossed one more glance at Bella, giving her a small wink just to see that beautiful blush one more time before heading out of camp. Yeah, I'm definitely coming back; whether she wants me or not, she's stuck with me now.

**A/N: Finally! Lol so, Edward finally got over himself and realized that he's no match for Bella =P The next chapter will be BPOV, and we get to see Alice for the first time! I will try to update as fast as I possibly can, so hang in there! R&R!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay so I know it's been awhile between updates so far, but I'm doing my best! I am writing a huge chunk right now, and I will release the chapters probably every other day so you will have plenty to read =D I hope you guys like what I did with the story!!!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Twilight series nor did I play any part in its creation. If I had, I guarantee you I wouldn't be doing this for free =P**

BPOV

I think I'm going to throw up. I've been waiting anxiously for the past hour, praying for any sort of sign that things were still going smoothly. Carlisle keeps reassuring me that this is normal, and that they would radio us if anything went wrong. I'm grateful for his attempts at comfort, but I don't think I will be satisfied until I can see them with my own two eyes, returning whole and unharmed.

The four of us that were left behind had split in two, crouching in the thick foliage a few yards apart. Rosalie and Jacob were up ahead of us, waiting for the first sign that our time was returning. The moment they were spotted Rosalie would signal us to head out. I was the only one with the codes, and Carlisle was our only medic, so we were waiting the furthest away from the enemy camp, the closest to safety.

I fidgeted with my heavy pack and picked at my fingernails, searching for an outlet for my nervous energy. Carlisle waited silently beside me, calm and collected, as always. My neck was throbbing, having been stretched to its limit in my attempt to keep Rosalie in focus. I wanted to be on my feet the second they came back; I needed to see Alice, to ensure myself that she was alive and in one piece, but surprisingly my fear had shifted in the last few hours. As much as I love Alice, I know now that the one person I need most to survive this mission is Edward. I'm not sure when it hit me exactly, but at some point I realized that I needed Edward Masen in my life.

There was a movement in the bushes ahead of us and I stilled instantly, my hands shaking in fear and anticipation. Seconds later, Rosalie emerged from the greenery followed by Jacob and flashed a beam of light in our direction. Carlisle rose to his feet and pulled me behind him as we crept out of our hiding place. We quickly made our way to Rosalie's side, and she gestured down the path to a slight shadow that was forming. I strained my eyes in the darkness and focused on the mass that was taking shape in front of us. I slowly began to pick out individual bodies moving quickly through the trees. I glanced over the group and counted the heads, taking in seven distinct figures, one more than our group left with.

Within seconds they were upon us, and I skimmed over every face in the group, all seemingly unharmed, until my eyes landed on the him. I rushed forward without another thought and flung my arms around his neck, holding on with all of my strength. He immediately wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me close while chuckling softly at my exuberance.

"I told you I'd come back. Do you think I'm a liar?" he teased. He set me on my feet and I quickly reached up to catch his lips with my own. An electric spark shot through my veins and I pressed myself closer to him. He held me close with one hand, bringing the other up to cradle the back of my head. We held our passionate embrace until a throat cleared lightly behind us, and I turned to find the source. Alice stood behind me, her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised.

"If I recall correctly, I'm the one that was being held prisoner in a foreign country for the last few months," she said, only half teasing. I rolled my eyes but launched myself, her tiny arms shooting out to catch me. We held onto each other for a few seconds, just laughing and crying, before I stepped back to inspect her.

"I'm fine," she giggled. "See? All good," she said, pirouetting before me. I sighed in relief and pulled her into another tight hug.

"Alice, don't you ever do that to me again. The next time you get kidnapped by a communist army and held prisoner don't expect me to come save your ass," I chastised halfheartedly. We both giggled and held each other tighter, and I ignored the tears that were streaming down my face.

"I can't believe you made them bring you. Well, actually I can," she laughed. I joined her and stepped back to find her face as tear-stained as mine. We both looked up as Jacob joined us, hugging us both to his chest tightly. We all stayed quiet for a moment, just happy to be together again, until Jacob stepped away to go see what the plan was now.

"Thank you," Alice whispered once we were alone, fresh tears spilling onto her dirty little cheeks.

"No, thank you," I replied. She tilted her head in confusion and I giggled at her expression. "If you hadn't gotten yourself kidnapped I never would have met Edward," I explained, my eyes drifting over to where he stood talking quietly with Jasper.

"Ah, yes, Edward. He is cute," she giggled, waggling her eyebrows at me. "His friend isn't so bad either," she murmured, her eyes raking over Jasper. I quirked an eyebrow at her and she simply shrugged her shoulders.

"I haven't gotten any action in the last few months. A sexy southern boy is exactly what I need," she giggled. I laughed softly and linked my arm through hers, walking over to where the men were standing. Edward absentmindedly put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close as he talked to Jasper, and Alice released my arm to take a place beside Jasper.

"Alright everybody, we need to get our asses back to the rendezvous point for pickup before our ride gets tired of waiting. It's only about an hour's hike from here, but we need to do it in half that time, so let's get moving," he instructed. He headed off in the right direction with Alice right by his side, and I followed quickly with Edward.

We covered a lot of ground over the next twenty minutes, our pace nearly leaving Alice and I in a jog as the smallest of our team. Jasper offered his arm to Alice after a few minutes to help keep her balance, and I caught quite a few smiles and giggles passed between the two of them. Edward focused most of his attention on keeping me upright as we traveled quickly through the dense forest.

"It isn't much further. We should be there soon," he reassured me after he kept me from plowing head first into the dirt once again. I smiled weakly at him and continued forward, my eyes glued to my feet. We walked a few more feet in complete silence until Edward grabbed me by the waist and threw me to the ground, covering my body with his own. I covered my head with my arms as the sound of gunfire filled the air, accompanied by screams of pain.

I looked out from under my arms to see Yorkie and Crowlie sprawled out on the path before us, blood beginning to soak through their clothes. Carlisle was crawling toward them on his stomach while Newton and Jacob tried to reach around and check their pulses. Up ahead, Rosalie and Emmett were both flat on the ground with their guns drawn, searching frantically for the source of the gunfire. Jasper and Alice were in much the same position as Edward and I, with them perched on top of us, their guns drawn and ready. I watched as Carlisle signaled to Jasper and Edward that we had lost both men, and the two exchanged a brief look before jumping to their feet, pulling us with them.

"Run Bella! Go!" Edward pushed me forward and I stretched my legs out in front of me, willing them to pull me faster. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, with Edward following close behind. My stomach rolled as I heard another round of bullets firing through the trees around us, their sound amplified by the echoes. I flew to the ground and covered my head, my ears picking up the sound of our team's return fire. When it quieted once more I lurched to my feet and raced through the jungle with my team, barely noticing that we had lost Newton in this round, and Jacob had taken a bullet in his left arm.

We burst through the trees only moments later to discover the clearing with our helicopter waiting for our arrival. Jasper through Alice into the chopper with Jacob, Rosalie, Emmett, and Carlisle right behind her. Jasper followed them in and extended a hand to me as Edward pushed me inside, jumping in after me. We turned our attention to the pilots, and my heart sank to my feet as I saw the co-pilot, Laurent, slumped over his controls, a bullet wound in his left shoulder blade. I glanced around the cabin at the faces of my team members, each wearing similar expressions of fear and confusion.

Jasper opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off instantly by the sound of gun being cocked, and we all turned slowly to see our James, our pilot, smiling devilishly at us with eight North Korean soldiers behind him, all nine of them aiming their weapons at us. James slowly turned his head to start straight at me, then lifted one hand, beckoning to me with his index finger. Edward tensed behind me, his hands gripping my waist tightly.

"Now, now, Sergeant Masen, you need to behave. You wouldn't want to go home without a team, would you?" As he said this, each of the soldiers behind them cocked their weapons, aiming for a member of our team.

"Why are you doing this? Why would you betray your own country?" Jasper asked in disbelief. James chuckled loudly, shaking his head from side to side.

"Simple: North Korea pays better," he said. "Just give me the girls, and the rest of you may return home safely. Provided, of course, that one of you is able to pilot the helicopter," he chuckled. "I can't make it too easy for you," he finished.

Edward's fingers dug painfully into my hips, and I turned my head slightly to look at Alice, her eyes blazing with anger and her jaw set. Jasper held her as tightly as Edward held me, neither of them even stopping to consider the choice James was giving them. I turned my head back to James and slowly took a step forward, Edward instantly pulling me back to his chest. I turned to face him, his eyes displaying a mixture of pain and rage. I slowly raised one hand to cup his cheek, rubbing softly with the pad of my thumb.

"The team doesn't need me anymore, Edward. Just get everyone else safely back to the base. I'm not worth risking everyone's life for," I whispered softly. He shook his head forcefully, his eyes blazing in anger, refusing to let me leave. I gently pressed my lips to his one last time then pulled his hands from my waist, stepping away from him slightly. I shot a quick glance at Jasper who was staring at me intently, and nodded slightly. He stared at me for a moment before nodding back, understanding my message.

I turned to face James and slowly stepped out of the helicopter, with him quickly catching me and pulling me to his side. He smiled in triumph and focused back on the team, waiting for Alice to come next. I glanced quickly up at him then back at Jasper, who shot a meaningful look to Emmett, Edward, and Rosalie before turning back to face us. As Alice began to step forward I sucked in a lungful of air, then released it in the loudest, most bloodcurdling scream I could manage. The soldiers around me glanced sharply at me, momentarily removing their focus from the marines in front of them. That was all the time it took for them to step into action, opening fire on the distracted soldiers.

James quickly tucked me under his arm and bolted from the clearing as the Korean soldiers fell to the ground. I faintly heard Edward and Alice scream in the distance as James pulled me through the woods, leading me further away from them. I flung my arms and legs about wildly, hoping that if nothing else I could slow him down, allowing Edward a chance to reach me. My right fist made contact with James' temple, and he turned angrily, lifting his rifle above his head and slamming the butt of it down into the side of my head, my world fading to black.

**A/N: Cliffhanger! Lol so, I hope you guys liked this chapter! I should have the next one up by Tuesday, so hang in there! R & R plz =D**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay, so I think there is only going to be one more chapter after this to wrap up the story. I hope you guys enjoy it =D**

**DISCLAIMER: Do I really need to tell you guys this? I didn't write Twilight!!! Everybody understand? Good.**

EPOV

I watched in horror as Bella was dragged through the jungle in front of me. I flew out of the helicopter and plunged into the trees, following the sounds of her struggles. I heard James' cries of pain as Bella fought against him: good girl, Bella. I fought to push my legs faster through the darkness, praying that I could reach her in time. James yelped in pain and I smiled inwardly; that bastard was going to get a lot worse when I found him. My blood ran cold a split second later when I heard Bella's yells were silenced.

BPOV

I blinked slowly, the blurry shapes around me slowly taking on form. I looked around groggily, surveying my surroundings. I was in a wide room with a low ceiling and dim lighting, and their was a metal staircase off to one side. The ground below me was cold cement and I was leaning up against a brick wall. From what I could tell, it looked like I was in an underground bunker. My eyes swept over the room and landed on a shape in the far corner. The dark figure turned and began walking toward me, and my heart plummeted as I recognized him; I was still with James. My eyes widened in fear as I pushed my self sideways, attempting to crawl away from him.

"Where are you going, Isabella? We haven't even had a chance to talk yet," he chuckled. I rolled onto my hands and knees and crawled toward the staircase, my throbbing head making it difficult to formulate any type of plan. I just wanted out.

James' steps echoed through the room as he followed slowly behind me. I turned my head slightly to see how far he was behind me, and my eyes widened as I watched him lift his right leg in the air and stomp down heavily on my left leg, shattering the bone. I screamed out in pain and fell on my stomach, holding back the vomit that was rising in my throat.

"Why are you in such a hurry, Isabella? Don't you want to talk to me?" he taunted. I sobbed heavily, my cheek pressed up against the concrete. Black spots danced across my vision as I fought to stay conscience through the pain. James' feet appeared in front of me, and I tilted my head back to look up at him. He crouched before me and gripped a handful of my hair in his fist, forcing my head back and causing me to groan in pain.

"You know, it was really your little friend that I needed alive. The General only asked me to kill you, but I think now I'm going to have a little bit of fun. It's too bad; if you had behaved, this could have been quick and easy. But now, I have better plans for you," he snarled, slamming the side of my head into the concrete. My vision darkened, and I began wishing that he would get tired of playing with me and just kill me already. If Edward hadn't found me by now, he probably wasn't going to.

"I hope you don't mind, I decided to make a little video of our time together. I thought your team might like to see what your last few hours were like. I'm sure they won't beat themselves up too much about their inability to rescue you; after all, they did get the girl that they came for. They really don't need you," he said. A small read light appeared in the corner of the room, and I recognized the shape of a small camcorder as he slowly walked toward me.

"It's really a shame that I have to kill you. You're such a beautiful woman," he murmured, bending down to trail his hand down my side. I shivered at his touch and swung my arm out, swatting at him. He growled under his breath and grabbed the front of my shirt, lifting me off the floor before slamming me into the wall behind me. My head connected with the brick with a sickening thud, and my stomach lurched. He dropped me to the ground and pain shot through my leg, causing me to throw up on the concrete in front of me.

"What's the matter, Isabella? Can't handle a little pain?" he chuckled. I pulled myself up onto my forearms and glared up at him.

"Fuck you," I spat. His smile faded and he reached down to backhand my across the cheek, my head snapping to the side. My mouth filled with blood instantly, and I spat it out on the floor, not even bothering to worry about where the blood was coming from; at this point, it was impossible to decipher one pain from another.

I looked over at James and noticed for the first time the small fire that he was standing in front of. His back was turned to me, focusing on something in front of him, and I strained my eyes in an attempt to see what he was doing. He turned to face me, a long, slender object in his hands. I focused on it as he sauntered over to me, my heart rate increasing as I realized what it was.

He smiled down at me as he approached, eager for the next step in his plan. I tried to crawl away from him but he pushed me backwards so I was lying flat on the floor, facing up. He knelt over me and waved the object in my face, allowing me to see it clearly. I thrashed beneath him and he placed a knee on my chest to hold me still as he positioned the branding iron and shoved it onto my forearm. I screamed in agony as the metal rod burned through my flesh. Just as I though I could take no more, James was lifted off of me by an unseen force and the branding iron with him. I quickly pulled my arms to my chest, cradling it to my body.

"Bella!" My heart lurched at the sound of his voice, and I frantically scanned the area around me, praying that I wasn't simply hallucinating. His face came into my line of sight and I cried out, reaching out to grab a hold of him. He wrapped his arms gently around my waist, stroking my hair lightly as I cried into his shoulder. I vaguely heard our team's voices around us and the sound of gunfire as James was brought down.

"Shh, baby, it's going to be okay," Edward whispered, rocking me gently in his arms. "Carlisle! Get over here, now!" he screamed. Seconds later I felt Carlisle by my side, with Alice right behind him. She gripped one of my hands tightly as Carlisle rummaged through his kit.

"Bella, I'm going to give you some morphine, okay? This will help with the pain," he informed me. I didn't even feel the needle, only the warm numbness that followed the injection.

"Edward, hold her still, I need to splint her leg before it sets. Bella, hang in there, this is going to hurt," he instructed. I kept my eyes locked on Edward's as Carlisle worked on me. He gripped my leg tightly and shifted it into position; that was all I could take. My world quickly faded into black, the pain pulling me under. I held onto Edward as I slipped into unconsciousness.

"Edward, don't leave me," I whimpered. His arms tightened around me and I felt the gentle pressure of his lips as he placed gently kisses across my cheeks.

"I'm not leaving; I'm staying right here, love. You can go to sleep now, I've got you," he whispered. I nodded slightly in understanding, and the world became silent.

**A/N: Aww, isn't he sweet? Well, the next chapter will be the last, and I will try to get it up by Wednesday for you =D R & R plz!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Here is the last chapter! Everything is going to get wrapped up in this one, so there won't be an epilogue or sequel, sorry! I hope you like it =D**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight, I just like to play with the characters =D**

BPOV

I heard the faint sounds of beeping monitors as I slowly regained consciousness. My eyes opened slowly to a darkened room, decorated in varying shades of white and green. I blinked my eyes, clearing them slowly, trying to decipher exactly where I was. My eyes rested on the figure sleeping in the chair next to me, and I smiled to myself.

Edward was gorgeous, even in sleep. His chair was pulled up beside my bed, and his head rested on the mattress beside me. I ran my fingers lightly through his bronze colored hair and paused when I noticed the I.V. taped to the back of my hand. I followed the wire up to the stand beside my bed, then glanced around the room I was in. My memory began to resurface as I realized that I was lying in a hospital bed, with a cast on my leg, gauze wrapped around my arm, and wires attached to every part of me.

Edward stirred beside me and I smiled drowsily at him when he sat up. He returned my smile with a crooked grin, all but stopping my heart. I relaxed into my pillows as he reached up and stoked my cheek, setting my skin on fire.

"Hey," he said softly. "How are you feeling?" he asked. I leaned my cheek into his hands and closed my eyes, sighing heavily.

"Not bad," I replied. "Just a little tired I guess. What happened? Where is everybody?" I asked.

"We're back on base. You're at the hospital in Camp Pendleton. Your parents are both here, and so is everyone else. We found you in that bunker and got you back to the states about two weeks ago," he answered.

"How is everyone? Is everyone okay?" I continued.

"Jacob had a gunshot wound in his upper right arm, but he's already been taking care of and he's going to be fine. Nobody else was seriously injured. There has already been a funeral for Crowley, Yorkie and Newton," he added quietly. I looked down at my blankets, reliving that night in the jungle. Edward stroked my cheek lightly, pulling me back to the present.

"I'm glad you're awake," he whispered. "I missed you." He leaned down slowly and pressed his lips to mine gently, that familiar spark tingling through my body.

"Thank you for finding me," I said quietly. He flashed me that crooked grin again then pressed his lips back to mine more forcefully this time. We pulled apart when we heard a throat cleared in the doorway, and I blushed furiously as I leaned back against my pillows. Edward grinned at Emmett as he entered the room with Rosalie on his arm, followed by Jasper and Alice.

"She's been conscious for all of ten minutes and the two of you are already at it!" Emmett teased. We all laughed as they took their places around me bed. I quirked an eyebrow at the four of them, using my hand to gesture between the two couples. They all laughed quietly and held onto each other, exchanging loving glances.

"Well me and Rose were just a matter of time, honestly. I'm sure you saw that one coming; I mean, did you really expect her to be able to resist me?" Emmett teased. Rosalie reached up to smack him in the back of the head, causing us all to laugh, before she placed a deep kiss on his lips. I looked at Alice expectantly and she giggled as Jasper looked down at her, a look of pure adoration on his face.

"Come on, Bella, you know me; I always get what I want." She winked at me and tapped Jasper on the ass, making him blush while the rest of us laughed. Edward gripped my hand in his and smiled softly at me as I looked around the room at our friends.

"What's going on in here?" I looked to the doorway to see my father entire with my mother at his side and Jacob on their heels. My dad smiled widely when he saw me awake and my mother rushed to my side to wrap me in her arms.

"Oh, sweetie, how are you feeling? Are you hurting? Do you need something to eat or drink? Are you comfortable enough?" She fired off questions at me and my dad stood behind her shaking his head.

"I'm fine, mom, really," I reassured her. She backed up slightly to let my father in, and he gripped me in a tight hug before turning to glare at Edward.

"I told this one to take care of you," he growled, pointing a finger at my now uncomfortable boyfriend.

"Dad, take it easy, there was nothing he could do. Just be glad he found me when he did," I replied. He looked at me for a few seconds in silence before sighing and dropping his head.

"I know. I'm just glad you're home, Bells," he said quietly, ruffling my hair. I rolled my eyes but smiled at him, then turned to find Jacob.

"Hey, Bells. You look like shit," he stated bluntly. The room was quiet for a moment before my mother smacked him in the back of the head and everyone started laughing. Well, everyone except for Edward, who gave him a look that could kill.

"Thanks, Jake, it's nice to see you too," I teased. He traded spots with my dad to give me a quick hug before stepping back out of the circle. I looked around the room at my friends and sighed, my eyes landing on Edward last. He smiled at me and gently kissed the back of my hand.

"You should get some rest, love. We'll be here when you wake up, I promise," he said. I nodded my head slightly and closed my eyes, suddenly aware of how tired I really was. Edward stood up to press his lips lightly to my forehead.

"Sleep, my Bella. I love you," he whispered quietly. I smiled softly, my thoughts slowly becoming less coherent.

"I love you too, Edward," I murmured, drifting peacefully off to sleep.

**A/N: The end!!! Soooo how'd I do? Did you guys like it? I know it was kinda short, but I just don't have a lot of time to write, and I didn't want to stretch this story out over the next few months. I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for all of your feedback! **


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